A Golf Course for Kintamani?

Bali Post reports that Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik, chairman of the Investment Coordination Board (BKPM) Gita Wiryana and an expert staff of the Forestry Ministry recently traveled together to the Kintamani volcano in Bali in an effort to more evenly distribute tourism investments to areas beyond the southern part of the island.

Wacik, who hails from Kintamani, told the press during his visit of his desire to build a golf course near the caldera of the still-active Batur volcano at Kintamani. He also revealed that he has also long held the vision of building and airport in Bali's north. as well as constructing a rail system encircling the island. These visions, he said, are fueled by a desire to see a more equitable distribution of tourism development and the resulting economic benefits to the island's north.

The Minister said that for Kintamani he has several development agendas that he considers priorities. Included in these plans are the creation of a golf course that will covert dry and rocking terrain into green areas. He also said he plans a "Danau Batur Festival" to be held in Kintamani in 2012.

Wacik also touched on plans to covert Kintamani into a world "geopark" now under consideration by UNESCO. The Minister said he was hopeful that "geopark" status is bestowed on Kintamani in order to help popularize the area as a world tourism destination.